


Thin Ice

by SaraJaye



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Genre: Age Difference, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Dreams and Nightmares, Identity Issues, Insomnia, M/M, Past Lives, Pre-Relationship, Revision Of Old Fic, Sharing a Bed, Stoics With Soft Centers, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-20
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2018-02-26 08:42:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2645483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>By day, it's easy enough to lose himself in his work. By night, he's plagued by vague visions and dreams leading him to question his existence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thin Ice

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Broken Ice](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/84032) by Sara Jaye. 



My name is Kunzite, and I'm a general of the Dark Kingdom under the command of Queen Beryl. My main task is to find the legendary Silver Crystal to help revive the Great Leader Metalia. I was born and raised in this kingdom, trained as a soldier, appointed the leader of the Four Kings at the relatively young age of twenty.

By day, I know who I am. Kunzite, the Ice King. But by night, my sleep is plagued by visions that seek to change this.

I dream of a vibrant kingdom, blues and greens and a rainbow of flowers as far as the eye can see. I dream of Jadeite sociable, Nephrite smiling, Zoisite kind. I dream of a man with black hair and a face I've never seen before I wake up. Five young women, one of whom seeks me out for conversation and tea. The moon, shining a bright silver upon us all. A faceless darkness destroying it all.

I wake up in a sweat, my heart pounding and my head aching and I don't know why. I don't understand any of this, and I loathe it. Some nights I go out walking through the gardens, afraid to sleep again. Who is that man? Those women, why do they seem familiar? I don't remember any family in this life but in my dreams I have a gentle mother and father, a younger sister who wants to be just like me.

"What is my life?" I find myself asking one night. My dreams, this reality, I should know the difference but with dreams this vivid I can't help wondering why I'm here. Was that vibrant kingdom my home? If so, how did I end up here, in this vast darkness? Why do I serve a Queen who's cold at best and vicious at worst? Nephrite, Jadeite...are the dream-versions of them weak fools or their true selves?

I feel a headache coming on and a strange pang of something I thought I'd shed long ago. Confusion overwhelms me and I sit down on a nearby bench, head in my hands as I try to stave off the prickling in the back of my eyes.

"I am Kunzite, lead King of the Dark Kingdom. I seek the legendary Silver Crystal to revive our Great Leader," I whisper, but the words ring hollow. Who am I, really?

A sharp sniff catches my attention just then, and I look up to see a pair of green eyes. _Zoisite._ He's been my protegé since the tender age of fourteen, a flighty but promising boy with magical abilities beyond compare. The youngest of the Four Kings, he's always been a bit more emotional than the rest of us but no less effective as a soldier.

It's rare to catch him in a vulnerable moment, and as I meet his gaze he steps backward and turns away, rubbing his eyes on his sleeve.

"Master Kunzite." He bows slightly; he doesn't always bow to our queen, but he does to me. "I didn't expect to see you here this late."

"I could say the same to you." I stand, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you well?"

"Y-yes, Master, I was just going for a walk. I couldn't sleep." But his eyes are red and his cheeks are damp, I can't help but feeling concerned. I move closer, idly brushing a few loose strands of hair behind his ear.

"Would you like to talk about it?" I find myself asking. We've always been taught to suppress emotions, temper them into something useful, and I should be scolding him for his weakness. He shakes his head quickly and steps backwards, arms folded tightly over his chest. It's rare to see him not folded in on himself so, now that I think of it.

"I don't want to bother you with my problems." He turns slightly away and I can see his shoulders hitch slightly. "Emotions are a liability, you've told me this many times." I have, but right now I can't help feeling a bit hypocritical; who am I to tell him his feelings are wrong when I'm the one allowing a few dreams to torment me?

"Zoisite, it's just us. We're alone...if you need to talk-"

"I don't." His shoulders hitch again. "You don't look well yourself as it is, Master. Don't burden yourself with my insignificant problems." Without thinking, I turn to embrace him from behind, and he tenses. "M-Master Kunzite-"

"Come with me." In a flash, we're back in my sleeping quarters. I sit him down on the bed beside me and grip his shoulder again. He looks like a rabbit caught in headlights, but doesn't try to escape. After a long silence, his body relaxes and he lowers his eyes.

"I've had dreams, Master. I wake up feeling empty and alone every time," he whispers. "I don't feel like I belong here, I never have. I'm not as strong as you or Jadeite, I'm not smart like Nephrite, Queen Beryl doesn't trust me. And ever since the dreams started I don't know who I am anymore."

He's nearly in tears again and I can't help but draw him close, running a hand through his hair.

"You too, Zoisite?" That prickly feeling in my eyes returns. "A man with black hair, the moonlight, a planet of greens and blues..."

"They're only dreams." His voice breaks. "Only dreams, Master Kunzite. We're servants of the Dark Kingdom we always have been. But..."

"We keep having them. And dreams always mean something." I brush more hair out of his eyes. "And maybe we'll never know what they mean. But know this, Zoisite, you're not alone. And even if the others never trust you or take you seriously, _I_ believe in you."

He hugs me so tightly I almost can't breathe, he's shaking and I can't tell if he's laughing or crying. I keep him close to me until he calms down.

"Thank you."

"Stay with me?" For him and for myself, I think. I've always felt something a bit stronger than partnership with him, and I know this is highly inappropriate for a teacher to do with his student, but he feels so right against me like this. He's blushing, hesitant for a moment before he slides under the covers with me.

"I feel safer with you anyway," he murmurs, his arms around my chest and his face against my shoulder. I smile, daring to press a light kiss to his forehead.

"Goodnight, Zoisite."

"Sleep well, Master Kunzite."

The dreams will continue, I'm almost certain of this, but at least neither of us have to face them alone anymore.


End file.
